151-497: Roberto Devereux (in full Roberto Devereux, ossia Il conte di Essex , Italian: [roˈbɛrto deveˈrø osˈsiːa il ˈkonte di ˈɛsseks] ; "Robert Devereux, or the Earl of Essex") is a tragedia lirica , or tragic opera, by Gaetano Donizetti . Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian libretto after François Ancelot 's tragedy Elisabeth d'Angleterre (1829), and based as well on
302-457: A cholera epidemic delayed again the start of rehearsals. Salvatore Cammarano 's libretto is very truthful to Jacques-François Ancelot 's tragedy , a romantic rewrite of the material already dealt with by Pierre Corneille and La Calprenède in France, to which he added individual touches from Lescènes's Historie . 19th century Roberto Devereux was first performed on 28 October 1837 at
453-542: A $ 60 million annual budget, which was cut to $ 36 million due to the economic climate. Michael Kaiser was appointed to advise the board on a turnaround strategy, including the recruitment of a new general director. The David H. Koch Theater (previously known as the New York State Theater) underwent major renovations during the 2008/09 season. During the construction the company did not stage opera in its home at Lincoln Center. Instead, New York City Opera presented
604-474: A 60th anniversary concert production of William Grant Still 's Troubled Island . In June 2009 Bloomberg reported that the company had incurred a $ 11 million deficit for the year ending June 2008. Revenue fell 23 percent to $ 32.9 million, and expenses rose 11 percent to $ 44.2 million. In January 2009, the company announced the appointment of George Steel as general manager and artistic director, effective February 1, 2009. The New York Times reported at
755-471: A Donizetti opera, describing the composer as: a young pupil of one of the most valued Maestros of the century, Mayer ( sic ), a large part of whose glory might be called ours, he having modeled his style on that of the great luminaries of the musical art sprung up among us. [His opera in Rome] was accepted with the most flattering applause. News of this work impressed Domenico Barbaja , the prominent intendant of
906-515: A ceasefire with the rebels. Following an attempted uprising, he is awaiting his trial for high treason in London. Scene 1: The Great Hall at Westminster Sara, Duchess of Nottingham, is trying in vain to hide her tears from the eyes of the Court, as she reads the sad story of Fair Rosamond , the unfortunate lover of King Henry II of England , and therein recognizes a very similar situation to her own. She
1057-475: A company mission". Tommasini called Kellogg's decision, at the urging of New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani , to open its season on September 15, 2001, directly after the 9/11 attacks , "the most meaningful day of music in 2001," and later used NYCO's opening day in 2001 and its 2009/10 season as symbolic bookends for New York's music scene in the first decade of the 21st century. Vox, Contemporary Opera Lab (also known as Vox: Showcasing American Composers )
1208-851: A composer of successful serious opera, although other comedies were to appear quite quickly. With his commissions, the years from 1830 to 1835 saw a huge outpouring of work; L'elisir d'amore , a comedy produced in 1832, came soon after Anna Bolena ' s success and is deemed to be one of the masterpieces of 19th-century opera buffa . Then came a rapid series of operas from Naples including Francesca di Foix (May 1831); La romanziera e l'uomo nero (June 1831); and Fausta (January 1832). Two new operas were presented in Milan: Le convenienze ed inconvenienze teatrali (April 1831) and Ugo, conte di Parigi (March 1832). Rome presented Il furioso all'isola di San Domingo (January 1833) and Torquato Tasso (September 1833). Otto mesi in due ore (1833)
1359-515: A composer, but there was also an interest across the continent of Europe in the history and culture of Scotland. The perceived romance of its violent wars and feuds, as well as its folklore and mythology, intrigued 19th century readers and audiences, and Scott made use of these stereotypes in his novel. At the same time, continental audiences of that time seemed to be fascinated by the Tudor period of 16th century English history, revolving as it does around
1510-658: A concert version of Samuel Barber 's Antony and Cleopatra at Carnegie Hall in January 2009, as well as other concerts and programs around the city, and continued to make classroom presentations in New York City's public schools. The company presented three concerts at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in 2009: I'm On My Way: Black History at City Opera , One Fine Day: A Tribute to Camilla Williams , and
1661-588: A family opera concert of Oliver Knussen 's Where the Wild Things Are with a libretto by Maurice Sendak ; and Defying Gravity: The Music of Stephen Schwartz with Kristin Chenoweth and Raúl Esparza . In May 2011, the company announced that it would leave Lincoln Center to conserve costs, and present its upcoming season in different venues throughout the city. On the business side, the opera underwent tremendous change under Steel's tenure, which both balanced
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#17328559270511812-595: A full scholarship in a school which he had set up. There he received detailed musical training. Mayr was instrumental in obtaining a place for Donizetti at the Bologna Academy, where, at the age of 19, he wrote his first one-act opera, the comedy Il Pigmalione , which may never have been performed during his lifetime. An offer in 1822 from Domenico Barbaja , the impresario of the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples , which followed
1963-779: A home for American singers and composers. The company was originally housed at the New York City Center theater on West 55th Street in Manhattan. It later became part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts at the New York State Theater from 1966 to 2010. During this time it produced autumn and spring seasons of opera in repertory, and maintained extensive education and outreach programs, offering arts-in-education programs to 4,000 students in over 30 schools. In 2011,
2114-517: A huge accumulated deficit, the market collapse of 2008, the radical reduction by the board of the budget and of the size of the season, and the sudden withdrawal of Gerard Mortier, who was to have become General Manager after a lengthy period without leadership (Paul Kellogg, the previous General Director had left in 2007). Under Steel during the 2009–2010 season, the company returned with an opening night program called American Voices consisting of excerpts from American opera. The season also included
2265-747: A libretto written by Salvadore Cammarano ) given in Naples in 1835, and one of the most successful Neapolitan operas, Roberto Devereux in 1837. Up to that point, all of his operas had been set to Italian libretti. Donizetti found himself increasingly chafing against the censorship limitations in Italy (and especially in Naples). From about 1836, he became interested in working in Paris, where he saw greater freedom to choose subject matter, in addition to receiving larger fees and greater prestige. From 1838, beginning with an offer from
2416-452: A long future with New York City Opera." NYCO Renaissance presented Puccini's Tosca – using Adolfo Hohenstein 's stage and costume design from the opera's premiere in 1900 in Rome – in January 2016 at the 1,100-seat Rose Theater. It had two separate casts, including tenor James Valenti and soprano Latonia Moore , and the least expensive balcony seats were $ 25. Tosca had been, in 1944,
2567-491: A major impression at the first performance (otherwise there would be no others), and to emulate the preferred musical style of the day, that of Rossini whose music "was the public's yardstick when they were assessing new scores". Remaining in Bergamo until October 1821, the composer busied himself with a variety of instrumental and choral pieces, but during that year, he had been in negotiation with Giovanni Paterni, intendant of
2718-527: A major opera house. In the fall of 1949, the NYCO revived Prokofiev's comic opera The Love for Three Oranges , which had not been seen in America since its unsuccessful Chicago premiere in 1921. The new production, directed by Vladimir Rosing , turned into a smash hit and was brought back for two additional seasons. Also in 1949, Halasz scheduled the world premiere of David Tamkin 's The Dybbuk to be performed by
2869-599: A meeting of the Peers of the Realm. Scene 2: Sara's Apartments at Nottingham House Sara is alone when Robert enters, declaring her to be faithless because she has married Nottingham while he was in Ireland. She defends herself saying that it was the Queen's idea and that she was forced to do her bidding. At the same time, seeing the ring on Robert's finger, she assumes it to be a love token from
3020-545: A month later, a one-act melodramma or opera, Elvida , a pièce d'occasion for the birthday of Queen Maria of the Two Sicilies , which contained some florid music for the tenor Giovanni Battista Rubini ; but it only received three performances. Writer John Stewart Allitt observes that, by 1827/28, three important elements in Donizetti's professional and personal life came together: Firstly, he met and began to work with
3171-481: A new home in Naples. Within two months he had written another opera semiseria , Gianni di Calais , from a libretto by Gilardoni. It was their fourth collaboration, and became a success not only in Naples but also in Rome over the 1830/31 season. Writing about the Naples premiere, the correspondent of the Gazzetta privilegiata di Milano stated: "The situations that the libretto offers are truly ingenious and do honour to
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#17328559270513322-703: A new production titled Monodramas which consisted of three solo one-act works: John Zorn 's La Machine de l'être , Arnold Schoenberg 's Erwartung , and Morton Feldman 's Neither . The company also staged the American premiere of Séance on a Wet Afternoon , the first opera by Stephen Schwartz , the veteran composer of Broadway musicals. In addition, the company presented several concert performances that included: An Evening With Christine Brewer ; Lucky To Be Me: The Music of Leonard Bernstein ; John Zorn & Friends (with Laurie Anderson , Lou Reed , Mike Patton , Marc Ribot , Dave Douglas , and Uri Caine );
3473-422: A nonprofit group, NYCO Renaissance, revived the opera company under new management when its reorganization plans for the company to leave bankruptcy and re-launch performances were approved in bankruptcy court. The group, led by Roy Niederhoffer , a hedge fund manager and former board member of the NYCO, announced plans to present a season of opera in 2016−17. The first opera was Puccini's Tosca , presented at
3624-476: A revealing, even defining, season for the rebooted City Opera." New York Classical Review wrote: "On this occasion, Pagliacci emerged considerably more moving than the recent Met production by David McVicar , mostly due to the Rose's increased intimacy. It also didn't hurt that, for the role of Canio, the company snagged Francesco Anile ... [who] has the voice: a clear, expressive instrument that pleasantly "pings" above
3775-488: A review in the Nuovo osservatore veneziano of 17 November in which the reviewer notes some of these performance issues which faced the composer, but he adds: "one cannot but recognize a regular handling and expressive quality in his style. For these the public wanted to salute Signor Donizetti on stage at the end of the opera." For Donizetti, the result was a further commission and, using another of Merelli's librettos, this became
3926-595: A revival of Hugo Weisgall 's Esther , and a new production of Mozart 's Don Giovanni directed by Christopher Alden . The spring season opened in March 2010 and included Emmanuel Chabrier 's L'étoile directed by Mark Lamos , and Handel 's Partenope directed by Andrew Chown; original production directed by Francisco Negrin . The company also continued to collaborate with the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and Opera Noire of New York to highlight
4077-452: A stature similar to that achieved by Bellini 's Norma . This dramma tragico appeared at a time when several factors were moving Donizetti's reputation as a composer of opera to greater heights: Gioachino Rossini had recently retired and Vincenzo Bellini had died shortly before the premiere of Lucia leaving Donizetti as "the sole reigning genius of Italian opera". Not only were conditions ripe for Donizetti to achieve greater fame as
4228-522: Is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through its 2013 bankruptcy, and again since 2016 when it was revived. The opera company, dubbed "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia , was founded in 1943. The company's stated purpose was to make opera accessible to a wide audience at a reasonable ticket price. It also sought to produce an innovative choice of repertory, and provide
4379-423: Is in love with Robert Devereux, her husband's closest friend. The Ladies of the court express concern, but she replies that she is happy, while privately revealing her sadness (All'afflitto è dolce il pianto) . Elizabeth enters and states that, at the insistence of Nottingham, she has agreed to see Robert once again, now that he has returned from Ireland accused of treason (Duchessa... Alle fervide preci) . The Queen
4530-458: Is not known whether he attended classes. Then, in 1811, Mayr once again intervened. Having written both libretto and music for a "pasticcio-farsa", Il piccolo compositore di musica , as the final concert of the academic year, Mayr cast five young students, among them his young pupil Donizetti as "the little composer". As Ashbrook states, this "was nothing less than Mayr's argument that Donizetti be allowed to continue his musical studies". The piece
4681-402: Is willing to release him without charges if she can be sure of his continued loyalty. To Sara's gradual dismay, the Queen reveals her love for Robert (L'amor suo mi fe' beata) . Cecil enters and announces that Parliament is waiting for an answer from the Queen regarding the charges against Robert, since it considers her too lenient towards him, but she refuses to sign the death warrant proposed by
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4832-519: The Historie secrète des amours d'Elisabeth et du comte d'Essex (1787) by Jacques Lescène des Maisons. Devereux was the subject of at least two other French plays, both titled Le Comte d'Essex : one by Thomas Corneille and one by Gauthier de Costes, seigneur de la Calprenède . The opera is loosely based on the life of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex , an influential member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I of England . The plot of Roberto Devereux
4983-504: The Giornale . One of the later performances became the occasion for Donizetti to meet the then-21-year-old music student, Vincenzo Bellini , an event recounted by Francesco Florimo some sixty years later. The second new work, which appeared six weeks later on 29 June, was a one-act farsa , La lettera anonima . Ashbrook's comments—which reinforce those of the Giornali critic who reviewed
5134-573: The New York City Center on West 55th Street , in Manhattan. City Center's chair of the finance committee, Morton Baum , mayor Fiorello La Guardia and council president Newbold Morris hired Laszlo Halasz hired the company's first director, serving in that position from 1943 until 1951. Given the company's goal of making opera accessible to the masses, Halasz believed that tickets should be inexpensive and that productions should be staged convincingly with singers who were both physically and vocally suited to their roles. To this end, ticket prices during
5285-652: The Teatro Argentina in Rome, and by 17 June had received a contract to compose another opera from a libretto being prepared by Merelli. It is unclear as to how this connection came about: whether it had been at Merelli's suggestion or whether, as William Ashbrook speculates, it had been Mayr who had initially been approached by Paterni to write the opera but who, due to advancing age, had recommended his prize pupil. This new opera seria became Donizetti's Zoraida di Granata , his ninth work. The libretto had been started by August and, between then and 1 October, when Donizetti
5436-588: The Teatro Carlo Felice of Genoa . The Metropolitan Opera New York performed the opera for the first time in 2016, in a production by David McVicar , starring Sondra Radvanovsky , who also appeared the same season at the Met in the title roles of Donizetti's Anna Bolena and Maria Stuarda . Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex , favorite of Queen Elisabeth, has been removed from office as Governor of Ireland because, acting on his own initiative, he has agreed to
5587-710: The Teatro San Carlo and other royal houses in the city such as the smaller Teatro Nuovo and the Teatro del Fondo . By late March Donizetti had been offered a contract not only to compose new operas, but also to be responsible for preparing performances of new productions by other composers whose work had been given elsewhere. On 12 May the first new opera, La zingara , was given at the Nuovo "with hot enthusiasm", as scholar Herbert Weinstock states. It ran for 28 consecutive evenings, followed by 20 more in July, receiving high praise in
5738-597: The Teatro di San Carlo , Naples. Within a few years, the opera's success had caused it to be performed in most European cities including Paris on 27 December 1838, for which he wrote an overture which quoted, anachronistically, "God Save the Queen"; London on 24 June 1841; Rome in 1849; Palermo in 1857; in Pavia in 1859 and 1860; and in Naples on 18 December 1865. Also, it was given in New York on 15 January 1849, but it would appear that after 1882, no further performances were given during
5889-433: The "Three Donizetti Queens." They became popular in the 1970s, when the American soprano Beverly Sills promoted them as a series at New York City Opera . It has been said that, "although the plot plays fast and loose with history, the opera carries its own brand of dramatic conviction". The contract for a new opera seria for the Teatro San Carlo in Naples was concluded in spring 1837. The generation of Roberto Devereux
6040-571: The 19th century. 20th century and beyond The beginning of the 20th century revivals of Roberto Devereux started at the San Carlo in Naples in 1964, the revival starring Leyla Gencer . Montserrat Caballé appeared in a combination of concert performances and staged productions between December 1965 and 1978. Roberto Devereux was first performed by the New York City Opera in October 1970 as
6191-543: The NYCO Orchestra, at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Hall. Bass Stefan Szkafarowsky made his NYCO debut in the title role of Aleko, and Pagliacci featured tenor Francesco Anile in his NYCO debut as Canio. Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times wrote that "the performance offered animated, if sometimes scrappy, playing by the New York City Opera Orchestra ... and vibrant singing from
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6342-530: The NYCO in 1950. However, the NYCO board opposed the decision and ultimately the production was postponed for financial reasons. Halasz, however, rescheduled the work for inclusion in the 1951/52 season. Uneasy with Halasz's bold repertoire choices, the NYCO board insisted in 1951 that Halasz submit his repertory plans for their approval. As a result, he resigned, along with several members of his conducting staff, including Jean Morel , and two of his eventual successors, Joseph Rosenstock and Julius Rudel . Faced with
6493-419: The NYCO staged Daniel Catán 's Florencia en el Amazonas June 22–26, 2016 at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater. Based on the writing of Gabriel García Márquez , the opera was part of a new Spanish-language opera series named Ópera en Español. Reviewing the performance, James Jorden of The New York Observer wrote: "[in] the current offering of the resurrected New York City Opera ... every page of
6644-714: The Paris Opéra for two new works, he spent much of the following 10 years in that city, and set several operas to French texts as well as overseeing staging of his Italian works. The first opera was a French version of the then-unperformed Poliuto which, in April 1840, was revised to become Les martyrs . Two new operas were also given in Paris at that time. Throughout the 1840s Donizetti moved between Naples, Rome, Paris, and Vienna , continuing to compose and stage his own operas as well as those of other composers. From around 1843, severe illness began to limit his activities. By early 1846 he
6795-741: The Queen's rival. In vain, the Queen tries to stop the execution, but they hear the cannon announcing Robert's death. After Nottingham has arrived, Elizabeth demands to know why he prevented the ring from being brought to her. He replies: "Blood I wanted, and blood I got!" Elizabeth is haunted by the headless corpse of Robert, and longs for her own death, announcing that James VI of Scotland (son of Mary Queen of Scots ) will be king. Alone, she kisses Robert's ring. Although not frequently performed today, it contains some of Donizetti's best vocal writing, some of it "first rate" (the end of act 1's duet between Roberto and Sara beginning with " Dacché tornasti, ahi misera " (Since you returned, ah miserable me!)), while
6946-436: The Queen, and tells him that they must never see each other again, giving him the blue shawl as a love token. In a final duet ( Dacchè tornasti, ahi misera ) each declares love for the other and they accept that they must say goodbye. Robert makes plans to escape. The Great Hall at Westminster The Queen approaches Cecil to find out what has been decided. Cecil declares that the sentence is death. The Queen, asking Raleigh why
7097-522: The Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in January 2016. During its 70-year-plus history, the NYCO has helped launch the careers of many great opera singers including Beverly Sills , Sherrill Milnes , Plácido Domingo , Maralin Niska , Carol Vaness , José Carreras , Shirley Verrett , Tatiana Troyanos , Jerry Hadley , Catherine Malfitano , Samuel Ramey , and Gianna Rolandi . Sills later served as
7248-464: The Royal Council. Robert enters and, in a conversation overheard by the increasingly distraught Sara, Elizabeth declares her love for him. Now alone together, Elizabeth promises Robert that the ring she once gave him will always be the pledge of his safety should he ever return it to her. The dream of bygone happy days is shattered by an inappropriate comment by Robert, who assumes that Elizabeth knows
7399-581: The Royal Theatres of Naples beginning in 1829, a job that the composer accepted and held until 1838. Like Rossini, who had occupied this position before him, Donizetti was free to compose for other opera houses. Finally, in May 1827 he announced his engagement to Virginia Vasselli, the then 18-year-old daughter of the Roman family who had befriended him there. The couple were married in July 1828 and immediately settled in
7550-551: The San Carlo again after the King of Naples banned the production of Poliuto on the grounds that such a sacred subject was inappropriate for the stage. In Paris, he offered Poliuto to the Opéra and it was set to a new and expanded four-act French-language libretto by Eugène Scribe with the title, Les Martyrs . Performed in April 1840, it was his first grand opera in the French tradition and
7701-545: The Teatro del Fondo, received only three performances. In October and for the remainder of the year, he was back in Rome, where he spent time adding five new pieces to Zoraida , which was performed at the Teatro Argentina on 7 January 1824. However, this version was less successful than the original. The second opera for Rome's Teatro Valle also had a libretto by Ferretti, one which has since been regarded as one of his best. It
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#17328559270517852-612: The Vox performances were presented at New York University 's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts . A note of uncertainty about the company's future emerged in November 2008, when Gerard Mortier , who was scheduled to begin his first official season as General and Artistic Director of the company in 2009, abruptly resigned. The company announced that "The economic climate in which we find ourselves today has caused us both to reconsider proceeding with our plans." Mortier had reportedly been promised
8003-529: The age of 48. His last performance, at the City Opera, was of Hindemith 's Mathis der Maler in September 1995. Keene was succeeded in 1996 by Glimmerglass Opera 's general and artistic director, Paul Kellogg. Under his leadership, the NYCO added 62 new productions to its repertoire, including several world premieres by American composers, and inaugurated the series: Vox: Showcasing American Composers . Kellogg
8154-582: The bid of NYCO Renaissance, which was backed financially and chaired by Roy Niederhoffer , a hedge fund manager and accomplished amateur musician who had earlier served on the New York City Opera board, and who pledged more than $ 1 million of his own money to the effort, and raised at least $ 2.5 million. The bankruptcy court approved the reorganization plan of New York City Opera Renaissance, allowing it to leave bankruptcy and re-launch performances, in January 2016. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane said he
8305-500: The brief second act is "superb." The opera is raw and emotional; it is a powerful vehicle for the soprano. Some of the highlights include the act 1 duet between Elizabeth and Robert, " Nascondi, frena i palpiti " (Hide and check your wild beating / oh my unhappy heart). The final scene is one of the most dramatic and difficult in bel canto opera. As Elizabeth is going mad with the death of her lover, " Quel sangue versato " (That spilled blood / rises to heaven) pushes romantic opera to
8456-415: The budget and extended the life of the company. These changes led directly to the opera's first balanced budgets in an over a decade and a sold-out 2011–2012 season. Some of the steps Steel took in his efforts to save the company aroused controversy, including a contentious, but ultimately successful, contract negotiation with the labor unions representing the orchestra and the singers, and the departure of
8607-405: The business side, Sills proved to be a godsend to the company, showing a prodigious gift for fund-raising. By the time she retired from her post in early 1989, she had grown the company's budget from $ 9 million ($ 38,000,000 in current dollar terms) to $ 26 million ($ 64,000,000 in current dollar terms), and left the company in the black with a $ 3 million ($ 7,000,000 in current dollar terms) surplus. She
8758-551: The caretaker of the town pawnshop. Simone Mayr, a German composer of internationally successful operas, had become maestro di cappella at Bergamo's principal church in 1802. He founded the Lezioni Caritatevoli school in Bergamo (now the Conservatorio Gaetano Donizetti ) in 1805 for the purpose of providing musical training, including classes in literature, beyond what choirboys ordinarily received up until
8909-424: The company became the first major opera company to have an African American performer. This was in the production of Leoncavallo 's Pagliacci , with Todd Duncan 's performance as Tonio. Lawrence Winters and Robert McFerrin were other notable African American opera pioneers to sing with the company during this period. The first African American woman to sing with the company was soprano Camilla Williams , as
9060-493: The company for only one season. He was fired after his ambitious program of contemporary and unusual works for the 1956 season failed to soothe financial problems at the NYCO, and drew harsh criticism from the press. The press particularly did not care for his new productions of Jacques Offenbach 's Orpheus in the Underworld and the American premiere of Carl Orff 's Der Mond . However, Leinsdorf did have one major triumph with
9211-451: The company in the first season, including Dusolina Giannini , Jennie Tourel and Martha Lipton , who was immediately poached by the Met after their NYCO debuts. Other notable singers Halasz brought to the NYCO included Frances Bible , Adelaide Bishop , Débria Brown , Mack Harrell , Thomas Hayward , Dorothy Kirsten , Brenda Lewis , Eva Likova , Leon Lishner , Regina Resnik , Norman Scott , Ramón Vinay , and Frances Yeend . In 1945,
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#17328559270519362-541: The company included the United States premieres of Toshiro Mayuzumi 's Kinkakuji [The Golden Pavilion] and Jost Meier 's Dreyfus Affair . A month before his death Peter G. Davis wrote in New York that "Keene is one of the few authentic cultural heroes New York has left, thanks to his many recent acts of courage, personal as well as artistic." Keene held the position until his death from lymphoma arising from AIDS at
9513-689: The company is at the very top of its game." The Wall Street Journal opined that "Ms. Caballero is a find." New York Classical Review , while noting some staging flaws, wrote: "If this is to be the standard of the company's work going forward, the future may be very bright indeed." The NYCO's Opening Night for the 2016–17 season, on September 8, 2016, was a new production double bill of two operas that both premiered in May 1892, Aleko (a New York premier; composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff , an adaptation of Alexander Pushkin 's poem The Gypsies ) and Pagliacci (by Ruggero Leoncavallo ). They were directed by Lev Pugliese, with conductor James Meena leading
9664-530: The company left Lincoln Center due to financial pressures and moved its offices to 75 Broad Street in Lower Manhattan . In the 2011−12 and 2012−13 seasons, NYCO performed four operas at different venues in New York City, including the Brooklyn Academy of Music . On October 1, 2013, following an unsuccessful emergency fund-raising campaign, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy . In January 2016,
9815-544: The company's business model, the opera ultimately succumbed to bankruptcy. On October 1, 2013, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York , citing an inability to raise sufficient funding to continue the 2013/14 season. The company's last production was the U.S. premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage 's Anna Nicole . The case
9966-409: The company's chorus. ... "Pagliacci" offers strong, if not exceptional, vocal performances in the leading roles. The tenor Francesco Anile brings a sizable, somewhat nasal voice to Canio, the betrayed husband. As Nedda, his straying wife, the soprano Jessica Rose Cambio sings with agile coloratura and mostly shimmering sound. ... An enthusiastic audience showed up for the opening event in what should be
10117-718: The company's director from 1979 until 1989. More recent acclaimed American singers who have called NYCO home include David Daniels , Mark Delavan , Mary Dunleavy , Lauren Flanigan , Elizabeth Futral , Bejun Mehta , Robert Brubaker and Carl Tanner . NYCO has similarly championed the work of American composers; approximately one-third of its repertoire has traditionally been American opera. The company's American repertoire has ranged from established works ( e.g. , Douglas Moore 's The Ballad of Baby Doe , Carlisle Floyd 's Susannah , and Leonard Bernstein 's Candide ) to new works ( e.g. , Thomas Pasatieri 's Before Breakfast and Mark Adamo 's Little Women ). NYCO's commitment to
10268-788: The company's first season were priced at just 75 cents to $ 2 ($ 35 in current dollar terms), and the company operated on a budget of $ 30,463 ($ 5,300,000 in current dollar terms) during its first season. At such prices the company was unable to afford the star billing enjoyed by the Metropolitan Opera . Halasz, however, was able to turn this fact into a virtue by making the company an important platform for young singers, particularly American opera singers. The company's first season opened on February 21, 1944, with Giacomo Puccini 's Tosca , and included productions of Friedrich von Flotow 's Martha and Georges Bizet 's Carmen , all of them conducted by Halasz. Several notable singers performed with
10419-538: The company, as the new director. He served in that post for four seasons, during which time he continued in Halász's steps of scheduling innovative programs with unusual repertoire mixed in with standard works. He notably staged the world premiere of Aaron Copland 's The Tender Land , the New York premiere of William Walton 's Troilus and Cressida , and the United States premieres of Gottfried von Einem 's The Trial and Béla Bartók 's Bluebeard's Castle . Rosenstock
10570-522: The company. With the NYCO Sills had her first major critical success in the first Handel opera staged by the company, the role of Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare opposite Norman Treigle in 1966. At that time Handel operas were rarely produced and the production drew a lot of attention from the international press. Sills was soon making appearances with all the major opera houses around the world. While Sills
10721-663: The composer a base from which to work and teach and not be continually exhausting himself with travel between cities. But in a letter to Vasselli, he adamantly refused. When Donizetti went to Bologna for the Stabat Mater , Rossini attended the third performance, and the two men—each former students of the Bologna Conservatory —met for the first time, with Rossini declaring that Donizetti was "the only maestro in Italy capable of conducting my Stabat as I would have it". New York City Opera The New York City Opera (NYCO)
10872-403: The composer's ninth opera, led to his move to Naples and his residency there until production of Caterina Cornaro in January 1844. In all, 51 of Donizetti's operas were presented in Naples. Before 1830, success came primarily with his comic operas , the serious ones failing to attract significant audiences. His first notable success came with an opera seria , Zoraida di Granata , which
11023-444: The door of the cell, it is not to free Robert but to take him to his execution. He is led away. Scene 3: The Great Hall at Westminster Elizabeth is mournful about the pending death of her lover and wonders why Sara is not there to give her comfort (Vivi ingrato, a lei d'accanto) . Cecil announces that Robert is on his way to the block, and Sara arrives disheveled. She gives Elizabeth the ring along with confessing her guilt at being
11174-425: The fact that the score has totally disappeared. After these minor compositions under the commission of Paolo Zancla, Donizetti retreated to Bergamo once again to examine how he could make his career move along. From the point of view of Donizetti's evolving style, Ashbrook states that, in order to please the opera-going public in the first quarter of the 19th century, it was necessary to cater to their tastes, to make
11325-597: The first opera performed by the NYCO. The NYCO announced that it would round out the 2015–16 season with the performance of three contemporary works, all new to the company. On March 16, 2016, a new concert series at the Appel Room in Jazz at Lincoln Center was inaugurated with the premiere of David Hertzberg's "Sunday Morning". A work for soprano and small ensemble, it featured soprano Sarah Shafer and mezzo-soprano Kirstin Chávez. That
11476-675: The first part of the "Three Queens" trilogy, starring Placido Domingo and Beverly Sills . It was performed on a regular basis in European houses during the 1980s and in concert versions by the Opera Orchestra of New York in January 1991 (with Vladimir Chernov ), the Royal Opera House , Covent Garden, in July 2002, and Washington Concert Opera in 2004. In 2005 the Bavarian State Opera 's Munich production starring Edita Gruberová
11627-457: The first professional production of Carlisle Floyd 's Susannah with Phyllis Curtin in the title role, and Norman Treigle as the Reverend Blitch. The production was a critical success with both audiences and critics, and the opera went on to become an American classic. After Leinsdorf was fired, the NYCO board canceled its 1957 spring season and eventually appointed Julius Rudel as
11778-530: The future of American opera was demonstrated in its annual series, Vox, Contemporary Opera Lab , in which operas-in-progress were showcased, giving composers a chance to hear their work performed by professional singers and orchestra. The company has also occasionally produced musicals and operettas , including works by Stephen Sondheim and Gilbert and Sullivan . The NYCO was founded as the New York City Center Opera, and originally made its home at
11929-589: The house seats. In January 1956 the NYCO board accepted Rosenstock's resignation. He stated that he left because he was faced with too much non-musical work such as bookings and business negotiations. The board appointed Erich Leinsdorf , who had worked as a conductor at the Metropolitan Opera, the Cleveland Orchestra , and the Rochester Philharmonic , to take his place. Leinsdorf stayed with
12080-590: The inauguration of the NYCO's new home at the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center (now called the David H. Koch Theater ) on February 22, 1966. That same season the company presented the New York premiere of Poulenc 's Dialogues of the Carmelites . Like his predecessors, Rudel had an eye for young American talent and was responsible for helping to cultivate a couple of generations of American singers. Among
12231-643: The latter part of the year when he wrote Il falegname di Livonia from a libretto by Gherardo Bevilacqua-Aldobrandini. The opera was given first at the Teatro San Samuele in Venice in December. Other work included expansion of Le nozze in villa , a project which he had started in mid-1819, but the opera was not presented until the carnival season of 1820/21 in Mantua . Little is known about it except its lack of success and
12382-544: The letter (Non sai che un nume vindice). Although she protests her innocence, he prevents her from leaving. They both hear the funeral march for Robert as he is led to the Tower, and Nottingham leaves to exact his revenge on Robert. She faints. Scene 2: The Tower of London In his cell, Robert ponders as to why it appears that his ring has not been received by the Queen. But he refuses to betray Sara (Come uno spirto angelico... Bagnato il sen di lagrime ), and when Cecil arrives at
12533-407: The librettist Domenico Gilardoni , who wrote eleven librettos for him, beginning with Otto mesi in due ore in 1827 and continuing until 1833. Gilardoni shared with the composer a very good sense of what would work on stage. Next, the Naples impresario Barbaja engaged him to write twelve new operas during the following three years. In addition, he was to be appointed to the position of Director of
12684-436: The limits of melodic expression and has been described as "mak(ing) a powerful end to one of Donizetti's finest and most affecting operas." The final bars contain six high As, one high B-flat and one high B natural, sometimes interpolated as an alt D natural . Act 1 Act 2 Act 3 Notes Cited sources Other sources Gaetano Donizetti Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848)
12835-554: The lives of King Henry VIII (and his six wives), Mary I of England ("Bloody Mary"), Queen Elizabeth I , as well as the doomed Mary, Queen of Scots . Many of these historical characters appear in Donizetti's dramas, operas which both preceded and followed Anna Bolena . They were Elisabetta al castello di Kenilworth , based on Scribe 's Leicester and Hugo 's Amy Robsart (given in Naples in July 1829 and revised in 1830). Then came Maria Stuarda ( Mary Stuart ), based on Schiller 's play and given at La Scala in December 1835. It
12986-410: The most tension between Halasz and the board was Halasz's commitment to staging new works by American composers and rarely heard operas at the opera house. The first New York City premiere presented by the company was Richard Strauss 's Ariadne auf Naxos on October 10, 1946, with Ella Flesch in the title role, Virginia MacWatters as Zerbinetta, and James Pease as the music master. The production
13137-449: The new general director of the company. Rudel had been hired by the NYCO straight out of college in 1944, and had worked on the conducting staff there for 13 years. Under Rudel's leadership, the company reached new artistic heights, drawing critical praise for its performances of both standard and adventurous works. The company became known for its cutting-edge stage direction, largely due to Rudel's willingness to poach renowned directors from
13288-413: The one-act, Una follia which was presented a month later. However, with no other work forthcoming, the composer once again returned to Bergamo, where a cast of singers made up from the Venice production the month before, presented Enrico di Borgogna in his home town on 26 December. He spent the early months of 1819 working on some sacred and instrumental music, but little else came of his efforts until
13439-557: The opera Il pigmalione , as well as his composition of portions of Olympiade and L'ira d'Achille in 1817, as no more than "suggest[ing] the work of a student". Encouraged by Mayr to return to Bergamo in 1817, he began his "quartet years" as well as composing piano pieces and, most likely, being a performing member of quartets where he would have also heard music of other composers. In addition, he began seeking employment. After extending his time in Bologna for as long as he could, Donizetti
13590-400: The opera from Lincoln Center out of financial necessity. While the company had for more than a decade discussed publicly the idea of leaving Lincoln Center, the company's ultimate departure, driven by the financial reality that the opera would otherwise have to close, was met alternately with praise and scepticism. Notwithstanding artistic successes, record fundraising, and dramatic changes to
13741-524: The orchestra, and equally, what appears to be a fountain of acting chops. In the famous scene in which Canio realizes that Nedda has been unfaithful, the soft sobbing into his costume was undeniably affecting. And when he leaped onstage to open the traveling show, his drunkenness was believable, not overdone. ... After a rocky few years, this musically and emotionally satisfying double bill is the best evidence yet that this storied company may at last be staggering to its feet." The Huffington Post opined: "NYCO
13892-532: The other two "Three Queens" operas) in succession over three evenings beginning in October 2013. After having debuted the role of Elisabetta at the Opéra de Marseille in 2011, Mariella Devia sang the opera in concert at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino on 18 May 2014 and with the Opera Orchestra of New York (OONY) on 5 June 2014. In 2015 she performed it onstage at the Teatro Real de Madrid and resumed it again in 2016 at
14043-483: The others in musical progress" and he was able to persuade the authorities that the young boy's talents were worthy of keeping him in the school. He remained there for nine years, until 1815. However, as Donizetti scholar William Ashbrook notes, in 1809 he was threatened with having to leave because his voice was changing. In 1810 he applied for and was accepted by the local art school, the Academia Carrara, but it
14194-445: The performing arts have never been profit-making endeavors. It is more important than ever that all institutions, from a fledgling string quartet to the lofty Metropolitan Opera, have an effective business model. A not-for-profit company named NYCO Renaissance Ltd. proposed a Chapter 11 plan for the reorganization of New York City Opera in 2015, and the reorganization of the existing company took place in 2016. An additional incentive
14345-461: The piece after the "little composer" 's boasts, in the drama the "composer" responds with: I have a vast mind, swift talent, ready fantasy—and I'm a thunderbolt at composing. The performance also included a waltz which Donizetti played and for which he received credit in the libretto. In singing this piece, all five young men were given opportunities to show off their musical knowledge and talent. The following two years were somewhat precarious for
14496-479: The plan was for Sills to share the post with Rudel, and slowly phase him out. However, Rudel decided to resign in 1979 in order to take a position as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic , and Sills took the post over entirely. At the time Sills assumed her position, the NYCO was in financial difficulties, burdened with a three million dollar debt after a few seasons with less than favorable reviews. On
14647-533: The poet, Gilardoni. Maestro Donizetti has known how to take advantage of them...", thus reaffirming the growing dramatic skills displayed by the young composer. In 1830, Donizetti scored his most acclaimed and his first international success with Anna Bolena , given at the Teatro Carcano in Milan on 26 December 1830 with Giuditta Pasta in the title role. Also, the acclaimed tenor Giovanni Battista Rubini appeared in
14798-539: The poorly managed theatre, the continual indisposition of singers, or their failure to appear on time. These issues caused a delay until January 1827 for the premiere of Alahor , after which he went back in Naples in February, but with no specific commitments until midsummer. That summer was to see the successful presentations at the Teatro Nuovo of the adapted version of L'ajo nell'imbarazzo given as Don Gregorio and,
14949-437: The requirement that the libretto to be revised by Ferretti, given Donizetti's low opinion of the work of the original Neapolitan librettist, Andrea Leone Tottola : he referred to it as "a great barking". In addition to the revision, he committed to write another new opera for the Rome's Teatro Valle which would also be set to a libretto written by Ferretti. Donizetti finally returned to Naples by late March. Immediately busy in
15100-414: The resignations of most of their creative staff, the board reluctantly backed down and The Dybbuk was given its world premiere at the NYCO on October 4, 1951. But tensions remained high between Halasz and the board, and they fired him in late 1951 when Halasz became involved in union disputes. After Halász was fired, the NYCO board appointed Joseph Rosenstock , who was already working as a conductor with
15251-440: The role had to be re-written for a musico , a mezzo-soprano singing a male role, a not uncommon feature of the era and of Rossini's operas. Opening night was a triumph for Donizetti; as reported in the weekly Notizie del giorno : A new and very happy hope is rising for the Italian musical theatre. The young Maestro Gaetano Donizetti...has launched himself strongly in his truly serious opera, Zoraida . Unanimous, sincere, universal
15402-428: The role of Percy. With this opera, Donizetti achieved instant fame throughout Europe. Performances were staged "up and down the Italian peninsula" between 1830 and 1834 and then throughout Europe's capitals well into the 1840s, with revivals being presented up to about 1881. London was the first European capital to see the work; it was given at the King's Theatre on 8 July 1831. In regard to which operatic form Donizetti
15553-621: The role of opera in African-American history , including the programs Opera at the Schomburg , A Tribute to Robert McFerrin , and X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X . In April 2010, NYCO's VOX Contemporary Opera Lab featured new works of emerging and established composers at New York University . The company's 2010–2011 season included a new production of Leonard Bernstein 's A Quiet Place directed by Christopher Alden ; Richard Strauss 's Intermezzo directed by Leon Major ; and
15704-500: The royal court. During this time and prior to leaving for Vienna, he was persuaded to conduct the premiere of Rossini's Stabat Mater in Bologna in March 1842. Friends—including his brother-in-law, Antonio Vasselli (known as Totò)—continually attempted to persuade him to take up an academic position in Bologna rather than the Vienna court engagement, if for no other reason that it would give
15855-471: The same time, Elizabeth offers Robert his freedom if he reveals the name of her rival. He refuses and she signs the death warrant, announcing that a cannon shot will be heard as the axe falls. Nottingham fumes that the axe is not a suitable punishment. Scene 1: Sara's Apartments Alone, Sara receives Robert's ring along with a letter from him. In it, he tells her to take the ring to Elizabeth and beg for mercy. Before she can leave, Nottingham arrives and reads
16006-408: The same time. Donizetti returned from Paris to oversee the staging of Lucia di Lammermoor on 26 September 1835. It was set to a libretto by Salvadore Cammarano , the first of eight for the composer. The opera was based on The Bride of Lammermoor , the novel by Sir Walter Scott , and it was to become his most famous opera, one of the high points of the bel canto tradition, the opera reaching
16157-425: The score sails orgasmically over the top, as sinfully rich as molten caramel sauce ... The reconstituted New York City Opera should be bursting with pride at the high level of quality extending across every aspect of this presentation ... Among as strong a cast of vocalists as I've heard at NYCO in 20 years or more, the standout appropriately was Elizabeth Caballero as Florencia. ... this production makes it clear that
16308-531: The secret of his love for Sara. The Queen, increasingly jealous, demands that Robert name the woman he loves. He denies that he loves anyone (Nascondi, frena i palpiti), and then the Queen leaves. Nottingham, Robert's friend and supporter, enters and the two men discuss Robert's situation and Nottingham's concerns about his wife's behaviour after he has observed her embroidering a blue shawl (Forse in quel cor sensibile, Qui ribelle ognun ti chiama) . The two men are interrupted by Cecil demanding that Nottingham attend
16459-405: The singers whose careers he furthered were bass-baritone Samuel Ramey and lirico-spinto soprano Carol Vaness . One of his most apt decisions was in forming an artistic partnership with Beverly Sills , making her the NYCO's leading soprano from 1956 until her retirement from the stage in 1979, although Joseph Rosenstock deserves the credit for hiring her in 1955 for her first performances with
16610-475: The spring months of 1823 with a cantata, an opera seria for the San Carlo, and an opera buffa for the Nuovo, Donizetti also had to work on the revised Zoraide for Rome. Unfortunately however, the music set for the San Carlo premiere of Alfredo il grande on 2 July was described in the Giornali as "...one could not recognize the composer of La zingara ". It received only one performance, while his two-act farsa , Il fortunato inganno , given in September at
16761-485: The stage than his librettists". Back in Naples, he embarked upon his first venture into English Romanticism with the opera semiseria , Emilia di Liverpool , which was given only seven performances in July 1824 at the Nuovo. The critical reaction in the Giornali some months later focused on the weaknesses of the semiseria genre itself, although it did describe Donizetti's music for Emilia as "pretty". The composer's activities in Naples became limited because 1825
16912-601: The success of his Lucia at the Théâtre-Italien in Paris in December 1837, approaches came from the Paris Opéra . As musicologists Roger Parker and William Ashbrook have stated, "negotiations with Charles Duponchel, the director of the Opéra, took on a positive note for the first time" and "the road to Paris lay open for him", the first Italian to obtain a commission to write a real grand opera. In October 1838, Donizetti moved to Paris vowing never to have dealings with
17063-464: The theatre who had not necessarily been involved with opera before. By the mid-1960s the company was generally regarded as one of the leading opera companies in the United States. During his tenure at City Opera, Rudel displayed a strong commitment to American opera, commissioning 12 works and leading 19 world premieres. He also led a large number of United States premieres, including Alberto Ginastera 's Don Rodrigo with tenor Plácido Domingo for
17214-473: The time that "many consider [the NYCO] the nation's second most important house." In January 2009, when Steel was asked to take the helm of the opera to try to turn the company around, it had suffered a string of financial and managerial blows: a decade of multimillion-dollar deficits, a "dark" season in 2008/09 ( i.e. , a season without any staged opera performances), the depletion of Company's endowment to pay off
17365-400: The time that their voices broke. In 1807, Andrea Donizetti attempted to enroll both his sons, but the elder, Giuseppe (then 18), was considered too old. Gaetano (then 9) was accepted. While not especially successful as a choirboy during the first three trial months of 1807 (there being some concern about a difetto di gola , a throat defect), Mayr was soon reporting that Gaetano "surpasses all
17516-522: The title heroine in Madama Butterfly in 1946. Halasz had a tumultuous relationship with the company's board of directors, given his strong opinions about what the NYCO should be. For one, he supported the idea of performing foreign language works in English to make opera more accessible to American audiences. He insisted on offering at least one production in English every season. The issue that created,
17667-491: The whole process took so long, learns that Robert had a shawl in his possession which he resisted giving over. It is handed to her. Nottingham enters and pleads for Robert's life (Non venni mai si mesto), insisting that he is innocent, but the Queen continues to describe how she knows that Robert has been unfaithful and, when he is brought in, confronts him, showing him the scarf. Nottingham sees it as well and recognizes it. Furious, he declares that he will have vengeance; while at
17818-427: The work on 1 July —recognize an important aspect of Donizetti's burgeoning musical style: [he shows that] "his concern with the dramatic essence of opera rather than the mechanical working out of musical formulas was, even at this early stage, was already present and active". On 3 August for what would become Chiara e Serafina , ossia I pirati , Donizetti entered into a contract with librettist Felice Romani , but he
17969-519: The young Donizetti: the 16-year-old created quite a reputation for what he did do—which is regularly to fail to attend classes—and also for what he did instead, which was to make something of a spectacle of himself in the town. However, in spite of all this, Mayr not only persuaded Gaetano's parents to allow him to continue studies, but also secured funding from the Congregazione di Carità in Bergamo for two years of scholarships. In addition, he provided
18120-604: The young musician with letters of recommendation to both the publisher Giovanni Ricordi as well as to the Marchese Francesco Sampieri in Bologna (who would find him suitable lodging) and where, at the Liceo Musicale, he was given the opportunity to study musical structure under the renowned Padre Stanislao Mattei . In Bologna, he would justify the faith which Mayr had placed in him. Author John Stewart Allitt describes his 1816 "initial exercises in operatic style",
18271-757: Was a Holy Year in Rome and the death of Ferdinand I in Naples caused little or no opera to be produced in either city for a considerable time. However, he did obtain a year-long position for the 1825/26 season at the Teatro Carolino in Palermo, where he became musical director (as well teaching at the Palermo Conservatory ). There, he staged his 1824 version of L'ajo nell'imbarazzo as well as his new opera Alahor in Granata . But overall, his experience in Palermo does not appear to have been pleasant, mainly because of
18422-537: Was able to achieve this while still reducing ticket prices by 20 percent, with the hope of attracting new and younger audiences. Sills retired as General Director in 1989, and was replaced by conductor Christopher Keene —largely on the basis of Sills' strong recommendation. Keene had previously worked as a conductor at the NYCO since 1970, and had served as the NYCO's Music Director from 1982 to 1986. Keene consistently presented innovative opera seasons that were successful with critics during his tenure. His last season with
18573-872: Was also instrumental in establishing the NYCO as an important producer of operas by baroque masters such as Handel, Gluck , and Rameau , sparking a renewal of interest in these long-neglected works. A particular triumph was a highly lauded production of Handel's Orlando in 2007 in a modern production by Chas Rader-Shieber that starred countertenor Bejun Mehta and the soprano Amy Burton. In keeping with NYCO's "people's opera" tradition, Kellogg inaugurated NYCO's "Opera for All" event, with reduced priced tickets, in 2005. Kellogg announced his retirement in 2007. Anthony Tommasini , in The New York Times , commented that Kellogg had "a record of innovation and achievement to be proud of. Few leaders of performing-arts institutions have been as effective at defining and carrying out
18724-528: Was also the first NYCO director to include musical theatre in the company's repertoire, with a 1954 production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II 's Show Boat ; a production which starred Broadway musical veteran and operatic soprano Helena Bliss . This decision was ridiculed by the press, but Rosenstock felt justified as the musical played to a packed house. Meanwhile, the company's staging of Donizetti 's opera Don Pasquale that season only sold 35 percent of
18875-510: Was an Italian composer, best known for his almost 70 operas. Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini , he was a leading composer of the bel canto opera style during the first half of the nineteenth century and a probable influence on other composers such as Giuseppe Verdi . Donizetti was born in Bergamo in Lombardy. At an early age he was taken up by Simon Mayr who enrolled him with
19026-578: Was an annual concert series dedicated to the development of contemporary American operas. Founded by New York City Opera in 1999, the festival offered composers and librettists the opportunity to hear excerpts of their works performed with professional singers and musicians. Up to twelve excerpts of previously un-produced operas were performed at each festival. Many of the operas that were presented at Vox went on to be presented in full production by New York City Opera and various other opera companies, including Richard Danielpour 's Margaret Garner . From 2006,
19177-465: Was before Judge Sean Lane. In an article in the New York Times , music critic Anthony Tommasini noted one of the reasons for the company's 2013 bankruptcy (as well as relating it to other failed arts organizations): In short, artistic excellence is not enough. Any institution, big or small, old or new, must have a clear artistic vision, a purpose that connects with audiences and the community. But
19328-415: Was busy with her international career, she remained a regular performer with the NYCO until her retirement. In 1970 John Simon White was appointed managing director of the NYCO, in order to free up Rudel's schedule for the more artistic side of his job. White remained in that position until 1980. Upon Sills's retirement from the stage in 1979, she succeeded Rudel as General Director of the NYCO. Initially
19479-402: Was described by the contemporary press as "record breaking", and it put the company "on the map". The NYCO subsequently toured Ariadne to His Majesty's Theatre, Montreal , giving the opera's Canadian premiere. The first world premiere at the house was William Grant Still 's Troubled Island in 1949. It was notably the first grand opera composed by an African-American to be produced in
19630-486: Was followed by the East Coast premiere of composer Stewart Wallace 's and librettist Michael Korie 's Hopper's Wife – a surreal, erotically-charged 90-minute 1997 chamber opera fantasy about an imagined marriage between the painter Edward Hopper and the gossip columnist Hedda Hopper . It was directed by Andreas Mitisek at Harlem Stage from April 28 through May 1, 2016, in his New York City directorial debut. Third,
19781-527: Was followed by the third in the "Three Donizetti Queens" series, Roberto Devereux , which features the relationship between Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex. It was given at the San Carlo in Naples in October 1837. As Donizetti's fame grew, so did his engagements. He was offered commissions by both La Fenice in Venice—a house he had not visited for about seventeen years and to which he returned to present Belisario on 4 February 1836. Just as importantly, after
19932-428: Was forced to return to Bergamo since no other prospects appeared. Various small opportunities came his way and, at the same time, he made the acquaintance of several of the singers appearing during the 1817/18 Carnival season. Among them was the soprano Giuseppina Ronzi de Begnis and her husband, the bass Giuseppe de Begnis . A coincidental meeting around April 1818 with an old school friend, Bartolomeo Merelli (who
20083-569: Was given in Livorno and Parisina (March 1833) was given in Florence. After the successful staging of Lucrezia Borgia in 1833, his reputation was further consolidated, and Donizetti followed the paths of both Rossini and Bellini by visiting Paris, where his Marin Faliero was given at the Théâtre-Italien in March 1835. However, it suffered by comparison to Bellini's I puritani which appeared at
20234-619: Was hardly original, mainly derived from Felice Romani 's libretto Il Conte d'Essex of 1833, originally set by Saverio Mercadante . Romani's widow charged Cammarano with plagiarism; the practice of stealing plots was very common between rival Italian opera houses. It is one of a number of operas by Donizetti which deal with the Tudor period of English history and which include Anna Bolena (about Anne Boleyn ), Maria Stuarda (about Mary, Queen of Scots ) and Il castello di Kenilworth . The lead female characters – Anne Boleyn, Mary Stuart and Elizabeth herself – have been referred to as
20385-423: Was made to those who had purchased tickets and not received a refund. The group announced plans to relaunch New York City Opera in January 2016, with a mix of opera staples and niche works. The proposed new home for a revived NYCO is the modern 1,100-seat Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center . Both the City Opera board and – unanimously – the creditors' committee (those owed money in the bankruptcy) preferred
20536-509: Was not staged until 1860. Donizetti returned once more to Milan where he stayed with the accommodating Giuseppina Appiano Stringeli with whom he had a pleasant time. Unwilling to leave Milan, but encouraged to return to Paris by Michele Accursi (with whom the composer was to be involved in Paris in 1843), he oversaw the December production of Maria Padilla at La Scala, and began writing Linda di Chamounix in preparation for March 1842 travels to Vienna , in which city he had been engaged by
20687-422: Was obliged to be confined to an institution for the mentally ill and, by late 1847, friends had him moved back to Bergamo, where he died in April 1848 in a state of mental derangement due to neurosyphilis . The youngest of three sons, Donizetti was born in 1797 in Bergamo's Borgo Canale quarter , located just outside the city walls. His family was very poor and had no tradition of music, his father Andrea being
20838-404: Was over-committed and unable to deliver anything until 3 October. The premiere had been scheduled for only about three weeks away and, due to the delays and illnesses among the cast members, it did not receive good reviews, although it did receive a respectable 12 performances. Returning north via Rome, Donizetti signed a contract for performances of Zoraida by the Teatro Argentina which included
20989-433: Was overshadowed by serious crises in the life of the composer. During the previous year, Donizetti had lost both his parents and then his wife Virginia Vaselli delivered a stillborn baby. In June 1837, another child died during birth. On 30 July, his wife died at the age of 28. Rehearsals for the premiere began at the end of August 1837; most of the score had to be written in the month following his wife's death. Additionally,
21140-419: Was performed on 13 September 1811 and included the composer character stating the following: Ah, by Bacchus, with this aria / I'll have universal applause. / They'll say to me, "Bravo, Maestro! / I, with a sufficiently modest air, / Will go around with my head bent... / I'll have eulogies in the newspaper / I know how to make myself immortal. In reply to the chiding which comes from the other four characters in
21291-471: Was pleased to approve the plan of "a beloved and important cultural institution," and that "It's been the participation of people who care greatly about the opera that's led to what I think is a very good result here today." Under the reorganization plan, the opera will put on annual seasons, and its general director will be Michael Capasso . Gail Kruvand, the chairwoman of the City Opera orchestra committee, said: "We're thrilled ... and we're looking forward to
21442-508: Was presented in 1822 in Rome . In 1830, when Anna Bolena was first performed, Donizetti made a major impact on the Italian and international opera scene shifting the balance of success away from primarily comedic operas, although even after that date, his best-known works included comedies such as L'elisir d'amore (1832) and Don Pasquale (1843). Significant historical dramas did succeed; they included Lucia di Lammermoor (the first to have
21593-401: Was presented on 14 November 1818, but with little success, the audience appearing to be more interested in the newly re-decorated opera house rather than the performances, which suffered from the last-minute withdrawal of the soprano Adelaide Catalani due to stage fright and the consequent omission of some her music. Musicologist and Donizetti scholar William Ashbrook provides a quotation from
21744-430: Was provided with a letter of introduction from Mayr to Jacopo Ferretti , the Roman poet and librettist who was later to feature in the young composer's career, much of the music had been composed. The twenty-four-year-old composer arrived in Rome on 21 October, but plans for staging the opera were plagued with a major problem: the tenor cast in the major role died a few days before the opening night on 28 January 1822 and
21895-593: Was quite successful. Before leaving that city in June 1840, he had time to oversee the translation of Lucia di Lammermoor into Lucie de Lammermoor as well as to write La fille du régiment , his first opera written specifically to a French libretto. This became another success. After leaving Paris in June 1840, Donizetti was to write ten new operas, although not all were performed in his lifetime. Before arriving in Milan by August 1840, he visited Switzerland and then his hometown of Bergamo, eventually reaching Milan where he
22046-818: Was recorded on DVD by Deutsche Grammophon . In 2009, performances were given by the Dallas Opera , the Las Palmas Opera, the Opera Holland Park Festival, while 2010 saw productions in Mannheim and Rome as well as by the Minnesota Opera and again Munich's Bavarian State Opera plus its first performance in Quebec in November of that year at the Opéra de Montréal . Welsh National Opera presented this opera (along with
22197-423: Was the opera buffa L'ajo nell'imbarazzo ( The Tutor Embarrassed ), the premiere of which took place on 4 February 1824 and "was greeted with wild enthusiasm [and] it was with this opera that [...] Donizetti had his first really lasting success". Allitt notes that with a good libretto to hand, "Donizetti never failed its dramatic content" and he adds that "Donizetti had a far better sense of what would succeed on
22348-420: Was the applause he justly collected from the capacity audience.... Soon after 19 February, Donizetti left Rome for Naples, where he was to settle for a large part of his life. It appears that he had asked Mayr for a letter of introduction, but his fame had preceded him for, on 28th, the announcement of the summer season at the Teatro Nuovo in the Giornale del Regno delle Due Sicilie stated that it would include
22499-567: Was to go on to a distinguished career), led to an offer to compose the music from a libretto which became Enrico di Borgogna . Without a commission from any opera house, Donizetti decided to write the music first and then try to find a company to accept it. He was able to do so when Paolo Zancla , the impresario of the Teatro San Luca (an early theatre built in 1629, which later became the Teatro Goldoni) in Venice accepted it. Thus Enrico
22650-474: Was to have the greater success, when the semi-seria work of 1828, Gianni di Calais , was given in Rome very soon after Anna Bolena had appeared, the Gazzetta privilegiata di Milano described the relationship between the two forms of opera and concluded that "in two classes—tragic and comic—very close together...the former wins incomparably over the latter". This appears to have solidified Donizetti's reputation as
22801-516: Was to prepare an Italian version of La fille du régiment . No sooner was that accomplished than he was back in Paris to adapt the never-performed 1839 libretto L'Ange de Nisida as the French-language La favorite , the premiere of which took place on 2 December 1840. Then he rushed back to Milan for Christmas, but returned almost immediately and by late February 1841 was preparing a new opera, Rita, ou Deux hommes et une femme . However, it
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